A chamber without a paid secretary may wish to follow a simple procedure that embraces these purposes:

• Authorize appropriations of the chamber’s funds (derived from dues and other activities);
• Pass resolutions expressing the opinions of the  membership or confirm the actions of the chamber; and
• Review the activities and recommendations of the chamber’s committees and listen to and take action on reports of the President and Secretary. 

Tip: General meetings should be held at least quarterly and council meetings monthly.  Make sure that there is a mechanism in place to deal with time sensitive communications from the MCC between those meetings.

Suggested Agenda For a Business Meeting:

1. Call to order;

2. Minutes of previous meeting;

3. Business arising out of the minutes;

4. Reports of chairs of committees;

5. Correspondence;

6. Accounts to be paid;

7. Unfinished business;

8. New business;

9. Adjournment.

Advantages of Meetings:

• They enable the members to discuss the various problems of the community;
• They permit the pooling of ideas;
• They make effective the collective judgment of all the members;
• Press reports of meetings are a valuable source of publicity;
• They represent the democratic method of getting things done;
• They give committees an opportunity to report direct to members on their activities.

Tip: Never hold Committee Meetings unless there is a valid reason.  This wastes both time and effort and can cost your chamber important members.